[Shady]

Last year, bureaucrats at the VA's National Center for Ethics in Health Care advocated a 52-page end-of-life planning document, "Your Life, Your Choices." It was first published in 1997 and later promoted as the VA's preferred living will throughout its vast network of hospitals and nursing homes. After the Bush White House took a look at how this document was treating complex health and moral issues, the VA suspended its use. Unfortunately, under President Obama, the VA has now resuscitated "Your Life, Your Choices."

Who is the primary author of this workbook? Dr. Robert Pearlman, chief of ethics evaluation for the center, a man who in 1996 advocated for physician-assisted suicide in Vacco v. Quill before the U.S. Supreme Court and is known for his support of health-care rationing.

"Your Life, Your Choices" presents end-of-life choices in a way aimed at steering users toward predetermined conclusions, much like a political "push poll." For example, a worksheet on page 21 lists various scenarios and asks users to then decide whether their own life would be "not worth living."

WSJ

Here's an excerpt from the pdf...

What makes your life worth living?
Instructions This exercise will help you think about and
express what really matters to you. For each row, check (✔)
one answer to express how you would feel if this factor by
itself described you.

1 - Difficult but acceptable
2 - Worth living, but just barely
3 - Not worth living
4 - Can't answer now

a. I can no longer walk but get around in a wheelchair
b. I can no longer get outside—I spend all day at home.
c. I can no longer contribute to my family's well being.
d. I am in severe pain most of the time.
e. I have severe discomfort most of the time (such as
nausea, diarrhea, or shortness of breath).
f. I rely on a feeding tube to keep me alive.
g. I rely on a kidney dialysis machine to keep me alive.
h. I rely on a breathing machine to keep me alive.
i. I need someone to help take care of me all of time.
j. I can no longer control my bladder.
k. I can no longer control my bowels.
l. I live in a nursing home.
m. I can no longer think clearly-I am confused all the time.
n. I can no longer recognize family/friends.
o. I can no longer talk and be understood by others.
p. My situation causes severe emotional burden for my
family (such as feeling worried or stressed all the time).
q. I am a severe financial burden on my family.
r. I cannot seem to “shake the blues.”
s. Other (write in):


PDF

[waldo]

Shady, on Aug 25 2009, 08:28 AM, said:

Obama's Death Book for Veterans, Ex-soldiers don't need to be told they're a burden to society.

continued 'scare' tactics from the right/GOP... Shady, quick - send this over to Sarah!!!

Obama Admin Fires Back At Right Wing With Detailed Rebuttal Of “Death Book” Claim

Quote

In a sign of real concern about the right wing’s latest lurid health care tale, the Obama administration’s veterans agency is hitting back at conservative media with a detailed factual rebuttal of the claim that government is giving veterans a “death book” that urges them to hurry up and die.

The rebuttal includes a detailed fact sheet and a timeline, both of which were sent my way by an administration official and may be sent widely to reporters later this morning.

Haven’t heard the “death book” tale? It got started with this Op ed piece in The Wall Street Journal by a former Bush official claiming that a manual distibuted by the Department of Veterans Affairs sends veterans a “hurry-up-and-die message.”

The claim — the right’s latest effort to frighten the vulnerable about Obama’s health care intentions — is that the manual steers veterans towards “predetermined concluions” about “end-of-life choices.” It’s gotten tons of right wing and even traditional media play.

The rebuttal points out that the manual, which is called “Your Life, Your Choices,” is not an “advance directive” and “does not promote limitation of life-sustaining treatment, assisted suicide, or euthanasia.” Rather, its goal is to help veterans “consider the types of health care they would want to receive if they were unable to make decisions for themselves” and to “think about and discuss their preferences” with family, friends, and doctors.

The fact sheet does note that the manual was determined under Bush to be in need of revision, and that it may be “too negative in tone and not sufficiently sensitive” to pro-life or disabled veterans. But the rebuttal strongly contests the core “death book” claim, and notes that the author of the original Op ed has offered a competing book, which is for sale.

The Obama administration’s detailed rebuttal is yet another reminder of how aggressively the conservative media is targeting the frail and vulnerable with its outlandish health care tales — so much so that real government resources are required to combat them.

uhhh, Shady... don't forget to actually read the linked to Veterans Affairs Dept. factsheet

[punked]

Ohhhhh Shady the scary government wins again with the truth.

This post has been edited by punked: 25 August 2009 - 10:22 AM

[Shady]

waldo, on Aug 25 2009, 01:06 PM, said:

Rather, its goal is to help veterans “consider the types of health care they would want to receive if they were unable to make decisions for themselves.

The Obama administration talking points don't jive with the reality of the death book. Are they seriously saying that if you're in a wheelchair, you can't make decisions for yourself? Or if you spend all day at home? Or if you live in a nursing home? Or if you can't control your bladder? Or if you can't shake the blues?

However, there was at least one truth to the Obama talking points...

The fact sheet does note that the manual was determined under Bush to be in need of revision, and that it may be “too negative in tone and not sufficiently sensitive” to pro-life or disabled veterans.

Apparently, it wasn't too negative in tone for Obama. Gee, I wonder why.

[punked]

Shady, on Aug 25 2009, 10:26 AM, said:

The Obama administration talking points don't jive with the reality of the death book. Are they seriously saying that if you're in a wheelchair, you can't make decisions for yourself? Or if you spend all day at home? Or if you live in a nursing home? Or if you can't control your bladder? Or if you can't shake the blues?

However, there was at least one truth to the Obama talking points...

The fact sheet does note that the manual was determined under Bush to be in need of revision, and that it may be “too negative in tone and not sufficiently sensitive” to pro-life or disabled veterans.

Apparently, it wasn't too negative in tone for Obama. Gee, I wonder why.

Yah who wants the men and women who have fought for freedom to have the freedom themselves to chose their care right Shady. Keep attacking Veterans rights Shady I bet that will go over really well.

[Shady]

I'm defending them, not attacking them. Keep spinning. I know it's a tough job defending the death book.

Hope n change!

[punked]

Shady, on Aug 25 2009, 11:40 AM, said:

I'm defending them, not attacking them. Keep spinning. I know it's a tough job defending the death book.

Hope n change!

Here is a statement from a true Vet not Shady, not Steal, and Rushbo but someone who served.

Quote

I feel like I've been brainwashed into pulling the plug already. Really, if the document was really trying to get veterans to pull the plug on themselves, then first suggesting to them that their life should be prolonged at all costs is a pretty stupid way to do it.

In light of the absolutely ridiculous argument Towey makes in his op-ed, I'd like to point out something Towey isn't telling you. In 1996, Towey founded an organization known as "Aging with Dignity" which still exists today. The following year, Aging with Dignity released a document titled "Five Wishes". Five wishes is the same type of document as the VA's "Your Life, Your Choices", only 41 pages shorter and not legally sound as a living will in 10 states. That's right. All you need, according to Jim Towey, to make your end of life decisions is five questions and twelve pages, because wrestling over end of life shouldn't take up more than two minutes of your time. That is, if you are lucky enough to live in one of the 40 states in which it is acceptable.

Here is something else that Jim Towey isn't telling you: He wants to kill the "Your Life, Your Choices" pamphlet because he has been trying to sell his own "Five Questions" document to the VA for use in VHA medical centers:

http://www.vetvoice....F0?diaryId=3084

ouch Shady it must hurt being wrong so much.

[GostHacked]

Death book, death panels. More meme talk for the idiots.

[Shady]

punked, on Aug 25 2009, 01:47 PM, said:

ouch Shady it must hurt being wrong so much.

I'm not wrong, but nice source.

Very impartial.

Sites We Like

Crooks and Liars
Daily Kos
Huffington Post
Media Matters
Think Progress

[punked]

Shady, on Aug 25 2009, 12:14 PM, said:

I'm not wrong, but nice source.

Very impartial.

Sites We Like

Crooks and Liars
Daily Kos
Huffington Post
Media Matters
Think Progress

It is a great source because it is from veterans about veterans affairs. I know you would not like to listen to people who actually fought for the country and freedoms I would.

[bush_cheney2004]

punked, on Aug 25 2009, 01:16 PM, said:

It is a great source because it is from veterans about veterans affairs. I know you would not like to listen to people who actually fought for the country and freedoms I would.

Gee..that sure is sweet of you....and since I am a veteran....does that mean you will listen to me?

[punked]

bush_cheney2004, on Aug 25 2009, 11:28 AM, said:

Gee..that sure is sweet of you....and since I am a veteran....does that mean you will listen to me?

Sure thing what issues do you have with the "Your Life, Your Choices"? Is it that they want to have choices over your life or that guy who called it a death book didn't get to sell his own book to the government?

[bush_cheney2004]

punked, on Aug 25 2009, 01:33 PM, said:

Sure thing what issues do you have with the "Your Life, Your Choices"? Is it that they want to have choices over your life or that guy who called it a death book didn't get to sell his own book to the government?

Neither...it's that someone else wants to have choices over my life....including limiting my options. Most veterans made their peace with life and death a long time ago.

[punked]

bush_cheney2004, on Aug 25 2009, 12:50 PM, said:

Neither...it's that someone else wants to have choices over my life....including limiting my options. Most veterans made their peace with life and death a long time ago.

Where is said that someone wants to have choices over your life? See this is the bs people get tired of.

[bush_cheney2004]

punked, on Aug 25 2009, 01:52 PM, said:

Where is said that someone wants to have choices over your life? See this is the bs people get tired of.

Government choices are limiting by definition.


Stop whining...."BS" is part of life....including your "bs".